Apparatus for carbonization of coal



Feb. 28, 1933. E. w. THM-:LE

APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZATION OF COAL Original Filed May 14, 1928 lllll lI Patented Feb. 28, 1933 NTTED STATES regatta PATENT oFFlcE ERNEST W. THIELE, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD COMPANY, O1?

ING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA A APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZATION OF GOAL original application filed May 14, 1928, Seal No. 277,766. Divided and this application ledlJuly 27, 1929.

' Serial No. 381,480.

heater for coke which may suitably be constituted by a relatively large chamber provided at its top with a valved loading hopper 11 and at its bottom with suitable air supply means 12. From the base of the heater 10 leads an outlet conduit 13 for the heated coke.

l The heater 10 is provided near its bottom with suitable mechanical means for causing the coke to move into the conduit 13. This mechanical means may suitably be a rotatable bottom 14 which cooperates with stationary members 15 so as to supply highly heated coke to the conduit 13.

A coal heater 16, which'may suitably be constituted by an elongated revolving drum of the revolving kiln type, is locatedin juxtaposition to the coke discharge conduit 13. The discharge end of said drum leads into a conduit 17 In order to facilitate the flow of fresh coal throu hv the preheater drum 16 the interior of the drum 16 may be provided 35 with one or more spiral ribs or veins 16a.

From an upper point of the heater 10 a conduit 18 leads to a combustion chamber 19, which is provided with a conduit 20 for supplying air to effect the combustion of combustible gases therein. From the combustion chamber 19 a conduit 2l leads into the coaldischarge end of the heater 16 so as to supply the hot gaseous products of combustion thereto for the purpose of preheating coal therein. The coal-supply end of the coal heater'l is provided 'with a stationary end'closure 22, into which connects a conduit 23 for supplying coal to the heater 16 and a conduit 24 for conducting the outgoing products of combustion to a suitable stack (not shown). A by-pass 25 provided with` a fan 26 may be provided between conduit 24 and combustion p chamber 19 so thatsa certain amount of the gases can be recirculated through the coal heater 16, as desired.

The hot coke conduit 13 and the hot coal conduit 17 lead into an enlar ed conduit 27 which conducts the mixed coa and coke into a coking chamber 28which is preferably a downwardly 'flaring' conical retort provided at its base with a rotating spiral coke extractor 29 of a known type. From the upper ing the operation so as to thoroughly exposel the coal to the effect of the hot gases and raise its temperature as high as possible without losing heating value, for example, to a temperature of about 675 F. Similarly crushed coke, which may be part of the coke produced in the process or which may be from any other source is placed in the coke heater 10 and sub- A'ected to partial combustion therein, air being admitted by inlet 12, so that it is raised to a high temperature, for example, about 200,0" F. Coke at this temperature is fed to the hot coke conduit 13 at the rate of about half the coal supply to the hot coal conduit 17. The hot coal and hot coke pass into the retort 28 and are thoroughly mixed one with the other by the distributor 31 which spreads the mixture uniformly therein. ln this way the mixture attains a temperature of about 1100 F; which is suiicient for low temperature carbonization in the course of a few moments. When the retort'28 becomes iilled to a suitable degree the coke extractor 29 is operated continuously so as to maintain the level of coke in the retort 28 substantially constant. rllhe gas and other volatile mattersproduced during the coking pass 0E by conduit 30 and are treated in the usual manner which need not be described here.

The gasesl resulting from the partial combustion. in the heater 10 contain substantial quantities of carbon monoxide and in this respect are similar to producer gases. rl`he gases pass from the heater 10 into the chamber 19.

where they under o combustion with the aid of air introducedy pipe 20. rlhe products of this combustion pass by aconduit 2l into coal heater 16 and preheat the coal in the manner already described. By regulating the fan 26 a certain proportion of the flue gases can be recirculated through the coal heater for the purpose of preventing the coal from attaining a temperature therein which would cause loss of heating value. v

lt must beunderstood that the temperature and the relative proportions of coke and coal specified herein are stated byway of example only and the invention is not intended to be limited thereto, since it is obvious that. these conditions can be altered within wide limits for the attainment of a mixture of coke and coal in the retort 28,' Vwhich will insure the coking or carbonization of the coal therein. About 5 or 6% of the coke is consumed in conducting the operation.

It will be thus understood that the coking operation can be conducted in a continuous manner, and it is further pointed out that the admixture of coke prevents to a great extent the tendency of the coke which is being produced from adhering to the wallsof the retort 28. l

Since no exterior heating is employed it is preferred to insulate the whole apparatus to prevent loss of heat.

Although the presentinvention has been described in connection with the details of a specific apparatus and of a specific example, it is not intended that such details shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention, except in so far as included in the accompanying claims. f

l claim:

1. An apparatus for coking coal comprisin a retort, means for partially burning co e to heat it to a high temperature, means for conveying said highly heated coke to said retort, a chamber for preheating fresh coal to be coked, means\for supplying preheated coal from said preheating chamber to said retort, means for withdrawing volatile Inataeeaeee ter from said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from said retort.

2. An apparatus for coking coalcomprisin a vertical retort, means for subjecting co e to partial combustion to heat it to a temperature suilicient to eHect coking of coal, means for supplying said heated coke to said retort, means for supplyin finely divided coal to said retort so that sald coke and coal become intimately admixed therein, means for withdrawing volatile matter from the top of said retort and means for continuously withdrawing coke from the bottom of said retort.

. 3. An apparatus for coking coal comprisin a vertical retort, means for subjectingI co e toy partial combustion to heat it to a temperature sutticient to e'ect coking of coal, means for suppl-ying said heated coke into the top of said retort, means for supplying finely divided coal into the top of said retort, a mixing device in said retort adapted to distribute said coke and coal in intimate admixture, a conduit for withdrawing volatile matter from said retort, and means for continuously withdrawing coke from the bottom of said retort.

4. An apparatus for cokino lcoal which comprises a chamber for heating finely divided coke, means for supplying air to said chamber for the partial combustion of coke therein whereby said coke is highly heated, a vertical retort, means forpontinuously supplying heated coke from said coking chamber to said retort, means for supplylng inely divided coal to said retort in intimate admixture with said highly heated coke, a conduit for `withdrawing volatile matter from saidretort, and means for continuously withdrawing coke from the bottom of said retort.

5. An apparatus for coking coal comprising a rotating drumV for heating coal, means for supplying finely divided coal to said drum, means for causing the coal to pass through said drumin a given direction of flow, means for supplying hot gases to said drum in a direction countercurrent to the direction of movement of the coal whereby the coal is preheated, means for highly heating finely divided coke by partial combustion of the same, a retort, means for supplying the preheated coal and the highly heated co e to said retort in intimate admixture, means for withdrawing volatile matter from said retort, and means for continuously with` drawing coke from said retort.

6. An apparatus -for coking coal comprisow, a combustion chamber for the gases from the coke heater, a conduit for supplying products of combustion from said com- .bustion chamber to said rotating drum in ysaid retort, meansl for supplying preheated coal from said rotatable drum to the upper end of said retort, means for intimately mixing said highly heated coke and coal in said retort, a conduit for withdrawing volatile matter from said retort, and means for continuously withdrawing coke from the bottom of said retort.

7. An apparatus for cokin coal compris.

ing a chamber for heating ne 'y divided coke, means for supplying air to said coke heating chamber to e'ect partial combustion of the ,coke thereby `raising it to a high temperaculate therethrough, a vertical retort, means for continuously supplying highly heated coke from the eolie heater into the upper end of said retort, means for supplying preheated coal from the rotatable drum to the upper end of said retort, means for intimately miX- ing said coke and coal in said retort, a conduit for withdrawing volatile matter from said retort, and means for continuously withdrawing coke from the bottom of said retort.

8. An apparatus for coking coal comprising an externally unheated vertical retort, means for subjecting coke to combustion to heat it to a temperature suiiicient to effect heating of coal, means for supplying highly heated coke to said retort, means for supplying coal to said ,retort so that said coke and said coal become :admixed therein whereby heat is imparted to said coal from said heated coke, means for withdrawing volatile products from the. upper portion of said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from the lower portion of said retort.

9. An apparatus for coking coal comprising an externally unheated vertical retort, means for subjecting coke to a combustion to heat it to a temperature suhcient to effect coking of coal, means for supplying said heated finely divided coke into the upper portion of said retort, means for supplying finely divided coal into the upper portion of said retort, means within said retort for admixing said hot coke and said coal whereby heat of the coke is imparted to said coal, a conduit for withdrawing volatile products from said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from the lower portion of said retort.

10. An apparatus for coking coal which comprises a chamber for heating finely divided coke by partial combustion of said coke to a temperature sufiicient to effect coking of coal, an externally unheated vertical retort, means for supplying the said heatedv coke to the interior of said unheatedretort, means for supplying finely divided coal to said retort whereby said coal comes into contact with said heated coke, 4a conduit for withdrawing volatile products from said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from the lower portion of said retort.

11. An apparatus for coking coal comprising means for preheating coal, means for supplying finely divided coal to said preheating means, means for highly heating finely divided coke by partial combustion of the same, an externally unheated vertical retort, means for supplying the highly heated coke from said coke-heating means to said retort, means for supplying the preheated coal .from said preheating means to said retort whereby said preheated coal comes into contact with said coke and thereby receives additional heat, means for withdrawing volatile products from said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from said retort.

12. An apparatus for coking coal compris-I.

ing means for preheating coal comprising a rotatable drum adapted to have hot ases passed therethrough, means for supp ying finely divided coal to said drum, means for highly heating finely divided coke by artial combustion of the same, an externa ly unheated vertical retort, means for su plying the highly heated coke from said eo e-heating means to said retort, means for supplying the preheated coal from said preheating means to said retort whereby said preheated coal comes into contact with said coke and 4 for supplying the preheated coal from said preheating means to said retort whereby said preheated coal comes into contact with said coke and thereby receives additional heat, means for withdrawing volatile products from said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from said retort.

14. An apparatus for coking coal comprising an externally unheated retort, means for subjecting coke to combustion to heat it to a high temperature, means for supplyin said highly heated coke to said retort, a co preheating chamber, means for supplying coal to said preheating chamber, means for passing hot gases in heat exchange relation withA the coal in said preheating chamber, means for passing the preheated coal from said chamber to said retort, means for' Withdrawing volatile products from said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from said retort.

)ERNEST W, HELE.

naaaaaa 

